


Alpha

by honestgrins



Series: To Rely on the Kindness of Strangers [51]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2016-08-29
Packaged: 2018-08-11 18:04:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7902472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honestgrins/pseuds/honestgrins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt from nemesis729: KC: 'i met you last night when you were drunkenly patting my dog in my backyard at 3 in the morning and when i asked you what the hell you were doing you slurred something about dogs being great and then you threw up on my feet and then fifteen minutes later you were passed out on my couch so that's why you're here right now also what the fuck is your name and why were you patting a dog in a stranger's backyard in the middle of the night' au</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alpha

The smell of coffee woke him slowly, and he burrowed deeper into his pillow to avoid getting up for just a moment longer. When he realized he lived alone and there should be no one to make him coffee, however, Klaus shot up. He nearly fell from the motion, as he had been incorrect in assuming he was in his own bed.

Klaus quickly came to the conclusion he wasn't even in his apartment and a crushing headache indicated he must have been too drunk to get home. Glancing around, he took in the bright red couch he had been sleeping on and the floral accents adorning the strange living room. This didn't look like the same house his sister had dragged him to the night before.

Where the hell was he?

"Good morning, sleeping beauty."

Wincing at the unexpected sound, Klaus turned to see a blonde woman offering him a steaming mug of coffee. She was in her pajamas, the tiny plaid shorts showing quite a bit of leg. Her arched eyebrow probably meant she noticed his unintentional ogling, but she just shook the mug until he accepted it. "Good morning," he croaked before taking a sip. The coffee was strong, for which he was grateful. "Er, I'm Klaus."

"I know," she answered airily. She sat on the nearby armchair, flipping on the television for the morning news.

Confused, Klaus racked his brain for any information about this woman who seemed perfectly at ease with a stranger in her home. All he remembered, though, was Rebekah insisting he accompany her to a party so he could meet her new boyfriend. The man was nice enough, but his brother was an ass with a bore of a wife. Klaus must have had more bourbon than he thought to cause a blackout.

"This is rather embarrassing," he said, scratching his head, "but I haven't the foggiest who you are or how I got here."

She laughed, her frizzy waves falling into her face as she curled in on herself. "Oh," she sighed, "I forgot how British you Brits can be. I know Rebekah definitely favors Posh Spice, but I must have grown used to her mannerisms. It's adorable on you, at least."

"Thanks," he answered, more confused than ever. "So, you know Bekah?"

"I'm Caroline, Stefan's best friend," she said with a small wave. "We briefly met at the party last night, but I can only stand Damon for so long. I love Elena, but I really wish they hadn't moved next door to me."

Klaus furrowed his brow in thought. "Damon's the brother, right?"

"The worst," Caroline confirmed. "He wanted to throw a rager like he used to in college, and Elena is the worst enabler for his fratboy tendencies. I crashed early, but Sheriff woke me up at about three this morning."

"The sheriff?" Klaus asked, concerned. "Was I arrested? What did I do? Why would they call you?"

Laughing again, Caroline shook her head, and Klaus was momentarily distracted by the pure joy emanating from her. His fingers itched for a pencil, but his artistic appreciation would have to wait until he was home again.

"Sheriff is my dog," she explained, just as a German shepherd appeared from another room. Caroline let the large dog nose its head into her lap, scratching behind his ears. "Apparently, he met a friend outside and wanted me to see."

Klaus took a deep breath, trying to connect the dots. "I don't follow, love."

"You were pretty out of it by that point," she admitted. "My best guess is Stefan and Rebekah ditched you for a little personal time, and left alone at the worst party in the world, you turned to alcohol. Sheriff has a doggy door to the backyard, and you found him on one of his nocturnal adventures. So, you hopped the fence and sat with him."

"And we woke you?" Klaus tried to feel chagrin at his actions, but Caroline didn't seem particularly offended and he couldn't regret whatever it was that brought him to her couch.

She shrugged as she continued to pet Sheriff. "It was cute," she answered. "You kept calling yourself the Alpha, and Sheriff always loves a good belly rub."

There's the embarrassment Klaus expected to feel. "Ah, y-yes," he stammered, fidgeting with the blankets. "I went through a bit of a supernatural phase in high school-"

"I was Team Jacob, I get it," Caroline interrupted with a smile. "Werewolves were a thing for you?"

Klaus rolled his eyes at the _Twilight_ reference, but nodded anyway. "My company produces graphic novels, and I've been asked to do concept art for a werewolf piece," he explained. "It appears my research has unwittingly bled into drunken antics. I apologize for the disruption."

"It's not a problem," she insisted. "Seriously, relax. You just needed a place to sleep it off, and I knew Rebekah would kill me if I let you try to make it home yourself."

Nodding, Klaus deflated a bit. Of course, she only helped him on behalf of his sister. Though he couldn't remember the party, he was a charming fellow when he put his mind to it. He hoped he had the forethought to flirt with her in their brief introduction. Caroline was beautiful, to say the least, but something about her just lit up the room.

"Well, thank you for your hospitality, love," he said, awkwardly rising to straighten his clothes. "I would hate to intrude further."

Caroline looked at him like he was crazy. "Umm, where do you think you're going?"

Frowning, Klaus stared right back. "To my home," he answered, sounding unsure.

"No way," she denied. "I have a frittata in the oven, and I'm not eating it by myself. Besides, I want to hear more about this graphic novel company. I've never really gotten into the format, but Rebekah talks about your projects all the time."

Klaus narrowed his eyes playfully. "Are you trying to take advantage of a man's hangover to keep him at your mercy?" he teased. "If you want to sleep with me, sweetheart, you don't have to go to so much effort."

"Please," she snorted, though her appreciative glance at the way his Henley clung to his chest was duly noted. "I'm too smart to be seduced by you."

Smirking, Klaus sat back down to drink more of his coffee. "We'll see," he challenged, pleased to see the flash of determination in her eyes.

He wouldn't be able to sleep again until he perfected her expression in his sketchbook.


End file.
